Lumber-unloading mechanism.



No. 808,527. PATENTED DEG.26,1905. J. M. FERRISS, JR.

LUMBER UNLOADING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1905.

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No. 808,527. PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905. J. M. FERRISS, JR. LUMBER UNLOADINGMECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29; 1905.

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LUIVIBER -UNLOADING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application filed May 29, 1905. Serial No. 262,798.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. Fnnmss, J r., a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State ofWVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLumber- Unloading Mechanism, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is an improved lumber-jack or lifting-lever particularlydesigned for use in expeditiously unloading, loading, and storing lumberin bulk or heavy timbers, beams, &c.; and its objects are to enable afew men to do the work ordinarily required of a large number, and thusgreatly reduce the force heretofore required in the transfer of lumberin bulk from the mill to the yard or from the yard to any adjacentlocality; also in loading the lumber in bulk from the storage-yards ontocars, and also to lessen the number of transfer-cars heretofore requiredin such work.

By my invention the lumber can be load ed or unloaded in bulk with greatease and facility from the transfer-cars or trucks left in positionforreloading thereon in piles and can be readily reloaded on the trucks ortrans fercars without direct manual handling the several pieces oflumber, as is now required.

The invention will be readily appreciated when compared with the presentmethods of handling lumber, in which about one thousand feet isordinarily piled on a transfer-car or truck by hand. Thensuch truck ispushed to the storage-yard and each piece of lumber has to be unloadedand piled by two men,and when the lumber is to be taken from thestorage-yard again each piece of lumber has to be replaced on the truckby two men, whereas by my invention a pile of lumber on a transfer-carcan be removed in bulk and replaced in bulk and three men working withmy jack can load and unload as muchlumber as thirty men under the oldmethod. In addition to this reduction of labor the transfer-cars are notkept idle during long periods of loading and unloading, so that with myinvention a few cars can do the work of a large number under the oldsystem.

I will now describe my invention more fully in connection with theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate a practical embodiment thereof,and the features constituting the invention and for which protection isdesired are summarized in the claims.

- In said drawings, Figure 1.is a side view of my liftinglever, and Fig.2 is a plan thereof. Fig. 3 shows a transfer-car with a load of lumherhaving been brought to the storageground and the lifting-lever beingapplied to the end of the load. Fig. 4 is a similar view in which theload has been lifted from the transfer-car and it has been removed fromthereunder, and Fig. 5 is a similar view in which the high horse hasbeen inserted to support the end of the load and the lever is beingremoved.

The jack comprises a powerful lever of peculiar construction having itsfulcrum preferably supported on. wheels and provided with an adjustableleg or support by which the load can be sustained when pressure isremoved from the long end of the lever.' As shown, the lever comprises alifting end section 6, a middle power-transmitting section 5, and apower or handle section 3. The fulcrum of the lever is preferably at thejunction of the sections 5 and 6 and, as shown, consists of a squaredaxle 7, attached to the lever by clips 8 or other suitable fastenings,said axle being provided with wheels 2, so that the jack can be easilymoved about. The sections 3 5 6 of the lever are preferably arranged inthe same vertical plane, but section 6 is tilted or inclined upwardly atan angle of approximately thirty degrees to section 5, and section 3 isshown as set at a slight angle to section 5 and also above the plane ofsection 5, the sections 3 and 5 being united by a bend 4. The object ofhaving this transmitting-section 5, which is preferably longer than theliftingsection, located substantially as shown with reference to thesection 6 is to enable the lifting-section 6 to be inserted under longlow overhanging bodies before the power-section will have to be loweredso much that the jack cannot be efiectively used, and, as indicated inFigs. 3 and 4, by having the powersection inclined or elevated upwardlyrelatively to the transmitting-section the lifting-section can beelevated much farther before the outer end of the power-section strikesthe ground than it could be if the power-section were in axial alinementwith the transmitting-section. The power-section 3 is preferablyrounded, so that the operators can grip it firmly. The sections 3 5 6may be strengthened and bonded together by means of side stra s or bars9 of metal bolted thereto at suitable points. These bars 9 preferablyextend beyond the end of the lifting-section 6 and are bent outwardly tosupport a cross bar or head 10 and connect the same rigidly to thelifting section, thus giving the lifting-section a T form when viewedfrom above and enabling a wide load of lumber to be lifted and supportedat one operation.

The jack is preferably provided with an adjustable load supporting leg11, which is hinged at one end to the lifting-section, near the outerend thereof, as shown at 12, and is of such length that when the section3 is sufficiently depressed, as indicated in Fig. 4, the leg 1 1 willassume a vertical position by gravity, and when pressure is removed fromthe handle the leg 11 will sustain the load and retain the ack inlifting position. The leg 1 1, furthermore, enables aload to begradually lifted by repeated downward pushes on the powersection, as itwill act like a pawl, and gradually assume an upright position if theman or men are unable by a single downward effort or thrust on thepower-section to wholly depress it, and by reason of this leg acting asdescribed one man can raise as much with a jack having such a leg as twoor three men could without it. The leg may be controlled by a pull cordor chain 13, attached to it and extending forward along the lever. Whenit is desired to remove the jack, the handle is depressed so as torelieve the leg 11 from pressure, and then the cord is pulled so as toclose the leg under the liftingsection, as in Fig. 1, in which positionthe leg is retained until it is desired to useit again and the cord isreleased.

Operation: Figs. 3, 4, and 5 illustrate the mode of using the jack inhandling lumber. A load of lumber 15, Fig. 3, after being piled on thetruck or transfer-car 14 is moved to the desired position, so that oneend of the load overlies a low su port 16. Then the jack is brought upan the lifting-section 6 run in under the opposite end of the load tothe position shown in Fig. 3. Then the power end 3 of the lever isdepressed, so that the lifting-section raises the load off the truck 14,upholding the pile of lumber on cross-head 10, as in Fig. 4, and thecord 13 is released, allowing the leg 11 to swing under the cross-headand sustain the load, so that the workmen can let go the lever andremove the truck. A portable horse 17 'may then be placed under the loadnear the cross-head, and then the workmen after depressing thepower-section sufficiently to relieve leg 11 pulls cord 13, so as todraw the leg against the lifting-section, and removes the jack to useelsewhere. The truck is also ready for service as soon as the load islifted therefrom. In reloading the trucks the proceedings are reversed.First a truck would be placed under the load while in the position shownin Fig. 5. Then the jack would be run in the time ordinarily required tohandle one I load by piecemeal, and if the lumber is properly piled atthe outset on the trucks it is not disturbed thereafter.

While the invention is particularly adapted for handling piles of smalllumber, it is also equally useful in handling large timbers,

beams, and other material and is not restricted to the particular useset forth above.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a lifting-jack, the combination of a lever having alifting-section, a transmitting section, and a handle or power section,the lifting and handle sections being upwardly inclined relatively tothe transmitting-section with a wheeled fulcrum attached to the leveradjacent the unction of the lifting and transmitting sections,substantially as de scribed.

2. In a lumber-lifting jack, a lever having a lifting-section, atransmitting-section, and a handle or power section, the lifting-sectionbeing upwardly inclined relatively to the transmitting-section, and thehandle-section being located above the plane of thetransmitting-section; and a wheeled fulcrum for the lever adjacent thejunction of the lifting and transmitting sections, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a lumber-lifting jack, the combination of a lever having alifting-section at one end, a power-section or handle at the oppositeend, and a transmitting-section intermediate and connecting the powerand lifting sections; with reinforcing-bars on opposite sides of saidsections and bonding them together, and a wheeled fulcrum attached tosaid lever at the junction of the lifting and transmitting sections,substantially as described.

4. A lumber-lifting lever provided with wheels having a transmitting orcentral section, a lifting-section attached to one end of saidtransmitting-section and extending upwardly at an obtuse angle thereto;and a power or handle section attached to the other end of said centralsection and extending upwardly at an obtuse angle thereto and across-head attached to the free end of the lifting-section.

5. In a lumber-lifting jack, the combination of a lever having atransmitting or central section, a lifting-section attached to one endof said transmitting-section and extending upwardly at an obtuse anglethereto; and a power or handle section attached to the other end of saidcentral section and extending upwardly at an obtuse angle thereto; witha cross-head attached to the free end of the lifting-section, and afulcrum and support for the lever attached thereto adjacent the junctionof the lifting and transmitting sections.

6. The herein-described lumber-lifting j ack, comprising a lever havinga lifting-section at one end, a central transmitting-section at anobtuse angle to the liftingsection, and a power section or handle at anobtuse angle to the transmitting-section; with a wheeled fulcrum forsaidlever, substantially as described.

7 The herein-described lumber-lifting ack, comprising a lever having acentral transmitting-section, a lifting-section at one end at an obtuseangle to the transmitting-section, and a power section or handle at theother end located in a plane above the transmitting-section butconnected therewith by a bend; with a wheeled fulcrum for said lever,substantially as described.

8. The herein-described lumber-liftingj ack, comprising a lever having acentral transmitting-section, a lifting-section at one end at an obtuseangle to the transmittingsection, and a power section or handle at theother end located in a plane above the transmit tingsection butconnected therewith by a bend; and a leg hinged to said lifting-section.

9. In combination, a lever having a liftingsection at one end, a powersection or handle at the opposite end, and a transmitting-sectionintermediate and connecting the power and lifting sections; withreinforcing-bars on opposite sides of said sections and bonding themtogether, substantially as described.

10. The herein-described lumber-lifting jack, comprising a lever havinga lifting-section at one end, a central transmitting-section at anobtuse angle to the lifting-section, and a power section or handle at anobtuse angle to the transmitting-section; with metal bars attached toeach side of said lever and extending from the handle to the end of thelifting-section.

1 1. The herein-described lumber lifting jack, comprising a lever havinga lifting-section at one end, a central transmitting-section at anobtuse angle to the lifting-section, and a power section or handle at anobtuse angle to the transmitting-section; with metal bars attached toeach side of said lever and extending from the handle to the end of thelifting-section, and a wheeled fulcrum attached to said lever adjacentthe junction of the lifting and transmitting sections, substantially asdescribed.

12. The herein described lumberlifting jack, comprising a lever having acentral transmitting-section, a lifting-section at one end at an obtuseangle to the transmittingsection, and a power section or handle at theother end located in a plane above the transmitting-section butconnected therewith by a bend; with metal bars attached to each side ofsaid lever and extending from the handle portion to the lifting portionand beyond the end of the liftingsection, and .a cross-head attached tothe projecting ends of said bars.

13. The herein described lumber lifting jack, comprising a lever havinga central transmitting-section, a lifting-section at one end at anobtuse angle to the transmittingsection, and a power section or handleat the other end located in a plane above the transmitting-section butconnected therewith by abend; with metal bars attached to each side ofsaid lever and extending from the handle portion to the lifting portionand beyond the end of the liftingsection, a cross-head attached to theprojecting ends of said bars; and a wheeled fulcrum attached to saidlever adjacent the junction of the lifting and transmitting sections,substantially as described.

14. In a device for unloading lumber, the combination of a low supportover which the lumber is placed, a lever adapted to raise the other endof the lumber, and means for sustaining said lumber in said raisedposition.

15. In a device for unloading lumber, the

combination of a low support over which the lumber is placed, a wheeledlever adapted to raise the other end of the lumber, and removable meansfor sustaining said lumber in said raised position.

16. .In a lifting-jack, the combination of a lever having alifting-section projecting beyond its fulcrum, a transmitting section,and a power-section, the transmitting-section being intermediate thepower and lifting sections, said lifting-section being inclined at anangle to the transmitting-section; with a supporting-leg hinged to thelifting-section and a wheeled fulcrum for the lever adjacent thejunction of the lifting and transmitting sections, substantially asdescribed.

17. In a liftingjack, the combination of a lever having alifting-section, a transmittingsection, and a handle or power section,the lifting and handle sections being upwardly inclined relatively tothe transmitting-section; with a supporting-leg hinged to thelifting-section and means for closing the leg, substantially asdescribed.

18. A lumber-lifting lever having a transmitting or central section, alifting-section attached to one end of said transmitting-section andextending upwardly at an obtuse angle thereto; and a power or handlesection attached to the other end of said central section and extendingupwardly at an obtuse angle thereto; a supporting-leg hinged to thelifting-section, and a cross-head attached to the free end of thelifting-section.

19. In a lumber-lifting jack, the combination of a lever having atransmitting or cen- & 808,527

tral section, a lifting-section attached. to one tached thereto adjacentthe junction of the end of said transmitting-section and extendliftingand transmitting sections. Io ing upwardly at an obtuse angle thereto;and In testimony whereof I afiix my signature at power or handle sectionattached to the in presence of two Witnesses.

other end of said centralsection and extending JOHN M. FERRISS, JR.upwardly at an obtuse angle thereto; With a Witnesses:

supporting-leg hinged to the lifting-section, WM. S. SHANK,

and a fulcrum and support for the lever at- M. A. VAN HoUsE.

